Symbicort® Turbohaler®
Patient User Guide
Symbicort®
Turbohaler®
When I loaded the Turbohaler, I’m not
sure I heard the click. If I turn and click
the inhaler a second time, will I end up
taking 2 doses by mistake?
No. The design of the Symbicort Turbohaler makes it
impossible to load or take more than one dose at a time.
200
mouthpiece
dose indicator
window
120
*Click*
Do I need to hold my breath after
taking my Symbicort Turbohaler?
No. The Symbicort Turbohaler is effective at delivering
the medicine directly into your lungs and there is no need
to hold your breath.
Protective
Cover
Grip
Further information is available in the patient information leaflet in your Symbicort
pack. Ask your Doctor, Nurse or Pharmacist if you have other questions on your
Turbohaler.
Legal Category: Prescription Only Medicine (POM). Marketing Authorisation
Number: PA 970/28/1-3. Marketing Authorisation Holder: AstraZeneca UK Limited,
600 Capability Green, Luton, LU1 3LU, UK. Further information available on request
from: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) Ltd., College Park House, 20 Nassau
Street Dublin 2. Telephone: (01) 6097100. Symbicort and Turbohaler are Trade Marks
of the AstraZeneca group of companies. URN: 12/0122. Date of Preparation: March
2012.
Patient Instruction Guide
Turbohaler
Symbicort® Turbohaler®
Patient User Guide
To use your Turbohaler properly,
just follow these simple steps:
1
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when it’s time for a
new Symbicort Turbohaler?
Unscrew and lift
o the cover. Hold
your Turbohaler upright
with the red grip at the
bottom.
Now close your lips
over the mouthpiece.
Do not breathe out
through the mouthpiece.
Inhale as deeply and
strongly as you can.
You may not feel or
taste the medication.
Symbicort Turbohaler has a dose counter which shows
how many doses are left in the Turbohaler.
When you see a red box appear in the dose counter, you
have 20 doses left. The red box is a reminder for you to
get a new prescription. When the dose counter fills
completely red and reads 0 your Turbohaler is empty
needs to be replaced. Even when empty you will still hear
a shaking sound. This is a drying agent to keep your
inhaler dry and it is not the medicine.
20th dose
2
Turn the red grip as
far as it will go in one
direction, then you must
turn it back again as far
as it will go in the
opposite direction.
The click you hear is
part of the loading
process. You only need
5
to perform this step twice
the first time you use the
Turbohaler.
3
Breathe out (gently as
far as comfortable).
Do not chew or bite
the mouthpiece.
6
Remove your
Turbohaler from your
mouth and breathe
out gently. There is
no need to hold your
breath. Repeat this
process from Step 1 to
Step 5 if more than one
dose has been
prescribed.
Replace the cover
tightly after use.
Rinse your mouth with
water after your dose
and spit it out.
10th dose
20 –
Empty
0
I don’t understand the dose indicator
and cannot see it moving?
The dose indicator tells you approximately how many
doses are left in the Turbohaler. The dose indicator
moves (counts down) very slightly every time you load a
dose; the distance moved is hard to see for an individual
dose. You should be able to see that the indicator has
advanced after 5 or so doses.
I can’t feel or taste Symbicort when I
take it. How do I know I have received
my full dose?
The amount of medication that comes out of your
Turbohaler is tiny, so it’s normal not to feel or taste the
medication. When you inhale, the medication is taken
into your lungs by your breath. You should start to
breathe more easily within a few minutes.